Maddie has been abstinent in OA for one week. “It’s terrible to admit . . . a destructive obsession with food,” she says. “But until we are ready to admit defeat, our abstinence will be on shaky ground.”
Taking an anniversary cruise while carrying 300 pounds (136 kg) of body weight left Elizabeth feeling despondent and suicidal. When she joined OA, her weight loss journey began. But her greatest progress so far has been working the Steps to covering and recover from the dysfunctions that have been driving her compulsive overeating.
Isa experienced food addiction and body image issues from early childhood. “I would have done anything to be thin,” she says. After topping 242 pounds (110 kg), she joined OA and knew right away she was in the right place.
Understanding Tradition Eleven taught me that true attraction lies not in promotion but in the quiet authenticity of recovery, humility, and service.